Emergency valve



March 18, 1952 5 -s 2,589,346

EMERGENCY VALVE Filed Oct. 15, 1948 INVENTOR. JOSEPH H. DEFREES BY W MMMATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 18, 1 952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMERGENCYVALVE Joseph H. De Frees, Warren, Pa.

Application October 13, 1948, Serial No. 54,335

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to liquid discharge control valves,andparticularly to valves adapted for use in connection with storage ortransportation for explosive or inflammable liquids such as gasoline, orthe like.

The present application is a continuation-inpart of my previously filedapplication for Emergency Valve System, Serial Number 706,162, filedOctober 28, 1946, and now abandoned.

As is well-known to those skilled in the art, such liquids are oftencarried or stored in multichambered tanks, each chamber usually havingan individual discharge outlet and a valve control therefor. If theoutlet connections are damaged by accident or otherwise, discharge ofthe contents may result in a disastrous fire with possible personalinjury to the attendant, truck driver, or others in the vicinity. In anyevent such damage to the discharge means probably results in substantialproperty and oil loss. Various emergency valve structures haveheretofore been devised to prevent discharge of the liquid except whenthe operator is in active control of the discharge.

For such purpose, in addition to the manually controllable valveprovided at the usual discharge outlet for each compartment, there isprovided, in liquid flow sequence therewith, an additional valvecommonly termed an emergency valve, at a relatively inaccessibleposition in the tank bottom wall so as to be invulnerable to normalinjury or shock. The emergency valve thus provided is normally closed sothat fluid conduits and connections external thereto may suffer damagewithout liquid discharg from the tank.

From what has been said so far, it will be apparent that two operationsare normally performed by an attendant in order to effect liquiddischarge from a storage or transportation tank equipped with emergencyvalve safety means. Each such tank, or each individual compartment of amulti-chambered tank, is provided with liquid discharge passage meanshaving therein two valves in sequence, namely the usual flow controlvalve near the outlet end of such passage, and an emergency valve nearthe tank end of the passage. The order of operating such valves toprocure external liquid discharge is not significant, except that bothvalves must be opened to secure such discharge. It is of coursefeasible, in the case of a multi-chambered tank, to carry the dischargepassages from all the emergency valves to a common outlet manifold, fromwhich manifold further flow may be manually controlled by a singlecommon valve. Normally the emergency valves are biased, by spring orotherwise, to closed position, and power expenditure under the controlof the attendant is required to open the emergency valve.

An object of the present invention therefore is to provide novel andimproved liquid discharge control structures adapted to be operated bycompressed air, and consequently adapted for extremely rapid valveclosing operation in times of emergency or stress.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an emergencyvalve which is completely self-contained, and which has no exposedworking parts, and no external, movable operating elements.

A further object is to provide an emergency valve of such novel internalstructure and de sign that there is no entrapment of stored oil orexplosive liquid when the valve is in fully opened position so thatcomplete discharge drainage is assured.

A further object is to provide an internal poppet type emergency valveactuated by a diaphragm energized by compressed fluid power, saiddiaphragm itself constituting a leak proof bulkhead between thedischarging liquid, and the diaphragm motive fluid.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from a study of thefollowing specification, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,in which:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section,showing an embodiment of my valve;

Fig. 2 is a view, similar in most respects to Fig. 1, but showing themovable parts in a different operating position;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view, looking upwardly at the device of Fig. 1;and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. l.

In the drawings, reference character Ill indicates a fragmentary portionof the bottom wall of a fixed or portable tank for the storage ortransportation of inflammable or explosive liq-- The wall lil- An anderl8 upon which a valve head l9 seats downwardly, the head being providedwith a resilient facing ring '29. A conical cap or bonnet 23 isthreadedly attached on the upper end of valve housing l4 and isperforated at its apex 24 to permit sliding passage of a valve stem 25.Surrounding the stem is a helical spring 26 which biases the valve headdownwardly to normally seated position. The valve housing is hasopenings 21 in its wall, within the tank, so as to permit liquid fromthe tank to flow downwardly between the valve face 2?) and seat !8, whenthe valve is forcibly raised against the bias of spring 26, as willappear.

The valve-opening servomotor mechanism is supported by a generallytubular portion Ida of the valve housing which extends downwardlyoutside the tank bottom. An opening in the lower end of the valvehousing is defined by an out wardly extending flange 28. A pressure head29 has a corresponding flange 38. The two said flanges 28 and 30 aremutually attached in such manner asto retain therebetween an imperforateflexible diaphragm 33. Air pressure from a suitable pump or reservoir istransmitted through piping 34, and admission of pressure to the chamber35 below the diaphragm 33 raises the diaphragm from the position shownin Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2.

Transmission of movement from the diaphragm 33 to the valve head iseffected as follows.

The valve stem 25 is threadedly connected to a portion 36 below thevalve face. This is engaged by a push rod 3'! having a flat base 38which rests on diaphragm 33. It is apparent that when fluid pressure isadmitted to chamber 35 it raises diaphragm 33, push rod 37, and valvehead l9 so as to permit liquid in the tank to flow downwardly throughopenings 21, and past valve seat I B whence it proceeds through thedischarge port 39 to any suitable distribution point under furthercontrol (not shown).

A bail 4!! is fixed to the top of valve stem 25 above bonnet 23, and maybe used for manual op-- eration of the emergency valve, for example by aworkman in the tank interior, or by reaching through an upper manhole,if the occasion should arise.

An important and distinctive feature of the invention may be noted froman examination of Fig. 2. When liquid discharge is taking place, thediaphragm 33 is raised sufficiently to insure complete liquid drainagefrom the valve housing through discharge port 39, and for this reasontrapped pockets or pools of liquid are avoided, eliminating futurecontamination and possible fire hazard.

The specific shape of the pressure head 29, and the mounting anddisposal of the diaphragm 33 result in further distinct advantages inthe operation of the device. It will be observed that in movement of thediaphragm from its normal valve-closed position of Fig. 1 to itsvalve-open position of Fig. 2, the area of the free portion of thediaphragm is greater than that of a flat plane coincident with thegripped edges of the dia phragm, and consequently said diaphragm issubjected to no stretch or strain, there being only minor flexure at theannular bending zone 33a at the boundary between the clamped and freeportion of the diaphragm.

It may be noted that the valve assembly just described may be handled asa unit, and installed or removed merely by manipulation of the nuts onstuds Hi. This is extremely convenient both in the original installationof the valve, and in possible periodic removal for repair or servicing.

The tubular portion 14a of the valve housing, immediately below theannular flange i5, is provided with a peripheral notch Mb which weakensthe structure somewhat at this point. The purpose of this notch is asfollows. In case of an accident involving violent impact against thedownwardly extending, exposed portion of the emergency valve structure,the underhung portion Ma would shear 01f, instead of tearing out aportion of the drain pocket or tank bottom. It is apparent that shearingoff the portion I la still leaves the valve head and valve seat insealing contact, so that the tank contents are not spilled. Loss of thetank contents is not too serious from a financial standpoint, butprevention of fire or explosion from discharged gasoline or otherinflammable contents is a very evident advantage.

A fusible plug 43 has a threaded connection with a boss 44 in the wallof pressure head 29. The plug is sealed by a low melting point alloy itwhich melts out in case of fire or abnormal heat in the vicinity of theemergency valve, thereby venting chamber 35 to atmosphere so that notonly the valve in question but all other open valves will closeimmediately (all open valves are interconnected and will close if thereis an escape of air at any point) thus stopping flow of flammableliquid.

What I claim is:

1. Liquid discharge control means for a liquid storage tank providedwith a discharge aperture in a bottom wall thereof, comprising a valvehousing fixed in said aperture and extending partially upwardly withinsaid tank, and partially downwardly without said tank, an annular valveseat within said housing, a valve of the internal poppet type seatingdownwardly against the peripheral edge of said valve seat, spring meansnormally biasing said valve to seated position, a pressure head carriedon the lower end of said valve housing, a flexible leak proof diaphragmextending transversely of said housing between said pressure head andsaid valve and having its peripheral edge gripped in leak proofrelationship between said pressure head and said housing, and meansengageable with said diaphragm and said valve for eifecting unseatingmovement of said valve against the bias of said spring when fluidpressure is admitted to said pressure head, a discharge passageextending laterally from said housing immediately above said diaphragm,the flexible central portion of said diaphragm being at approximatelythe level of the lowest point of said discharge passage, and the annularportion of the diaphragm radially outwardly of the central portioncooperating, when in valve open position, with the valve housing in suchmanner as to preclude the formation of a sump below said lowest point ofsaid discharge passage whereby the upper surface of said diaphragm iscompletely drainable by gravity into said discharge passage when thevalve is open to permit downward liquid discharge.

2. Liquid discharge control means for a liquid storage tank providedwith a depressed drain pocket in a bottom wall thereof, said pockethavan aperture therethrough, a valve housing having a laterallyextending peripheral flange at an intermediate height on its outer wallfor fixed, leak proof attachment to the wall of said drain pocket aroundsaid aperture whereby an upper portion of said valve housing extendsupwardly within said tank and a lower portion of said valve housingextends downwardly outside of said tank;

an annular valve seat within said housing at an intermediate lieighttherein, a liquid entry aperture in the wall of said housing above saidvalve seat, a liquiddischarge aperture in the wall of said housing belowsaid valve seat, a valve of the internal p'oppet type seating downwardlyon said valve seat," spring means normally biasing said valve to seatedposition, a pressure head carried on the lower? end of said valvehousing below said discharge aperture, a flexible leak proof diaphragmsecured between said pressure head and said valvje'housing, and meansengageable with said diaphragm and with said valve for effectingunseating-movement 01' said valve against the bias of said spring whenfluid pressure is admitted to said pressure head beneath saidfdi'aphragmso as to raise said diaphragm, the free central portion of saiddiaphragm being movable to a level approximately the level of the lowestpoint of said discharge passage, and the annular portion of thediaphragm radially outwardly of REFERE voEs CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATESIFIKATENTS Number Name Date 652,859 Newman July 3, 19001,284,063 Betts Nov. 5, 1918 1,520,758 Lane Dec. 30, 1924 1,726,319Shield Aug. 27, 1929 1,758,644 Betts May 13, 1930 1,829,020 Shield Oct.27, 1931

